Namika Lahti tabs Thomas Kelley, ex ES Sahel - Dec 12, 2012
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Namika Lahti (Korisliiga) inked 35-year old American guard Thomas Kelley (188-77, college: Michigan State, agency: TSS Management). He already started the season at ES Sahel in Tunisian Division I. Kelley ended the last season at Zalakeramia-ZTE KK in Hungarian A Division. In 7 games last year he averaged 11.9ppg, 2.1rpg, 5.7apg and 3.1spg. But the most of that year he spent at Kecskemeti in Hungarian C Division. In 18 games he had 10.6ppg, 1.9rpg, 3.9apg and 2.1spg. The previous (10-11) season Kelley played at Soproni in A Division. In 26 games that season he had very impressive stats: 16.4ppg, 3.6rpg, 6.1apg (top 5) and 1.3spg. He helped them to make it to the cup semifinals. Among other achievements Kelleys team won Hungarian League Regular Season in 2007 and 2009. He received also Eurobasket.com All-Hungarian League 1st Team award back in 2007. Kelley is a very experienced player. He has played also in Austria (Worthersee Piraten), Germany, Holland, Israel (Galil Gilboa and Ironi Ramat Gan), Turkey (Galatasaray) and Hungary (Szolnok and PVSK Pannon). Kelley is close to retirement age as a player. It may be one of last seasons in his extensive career, which he may end at Namika Lahti. Kelley attended Michigan State until 1999 and it will be his 14th (!!!) season in pro basketball.
Petteri Koponen selected the top Finn playing abroad in last week's games - May 22, 2013
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EUROBASKET CENTER
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We bring you last week's top performances from Finns who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level. This week's number one is an international point guard Petteri Koponen (194-88). Heto an easy victory against the fourth-ranked VEF Riga in the VTB United League in Friday night's game.
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We bring you last week's top performances from Finns who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.
#1. This week's number one is an international point guard Petteri Koponen (194-88, currently plays in VTB United League). He led his Russian team Khimky to an easy victory against the fourth-ranked VEF Riga (11-7) crushing them 104-82 in the VTB United League in Friday night's game.
Koponen scored 12 points, made 4 passes and 3 steals in 25 minutes on the court.
BC Khimky Moscow Region (14-4) is placed first in group A.
It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row.
It's Koponen's first season with the team.
This year he averages: 8.3ppg, 1.9rpg, 2.2apg, 2FGP: 57.1%(28-49), 3FGP: 55.8%(29-52) and FT: 93.8%(15-16) in the 19 games he played so far.
Koponen is currently a member of the Finnish senior national team.
#2. Second place goes to an international guard Sasu Salin (192-91, currently plays in Slovenia), who plays in the Slovenian Telemach League. He could not help Un.Olimpija (7-3) in their last game on Monday. Despite Salin's good performance the second-placed Un.Olimpija was defeated 71-61 on the road by the leading Krka in the Places 1-6 group.
He was the second best scorer with 14 points. Salin also added 4 rebounds.
Salin's overall stats this season are: 7.5ppg, 2.9rpg, 1.1spg, 2FGP: 45.5%, 3FGP: 41.0%.
He is in the roster of the Finnish senior national team.
#3. The Finnish player who performed third best last week abroad was an international center Gerald Lee (208-87, college: ODU, currently plays in Montenegro). Lee was the major contributor in Buducnost's victory against the second-ranked Sutjeska (6-4) 77-62 in the Montenegrin 1A on Tuesday night.
He scored 13 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in a mere 16 minutes.
It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams in group S-League. KK Buducnost Voli Podgorica (7-1) is placed first.
It was his team's sixth consecutive victory in a row.
Lee has relatively good stats this year: 11.1ppg, 4.0rpg, 2FGP: 76.9%(70-91) and FT: 58.7% in the 15 games.
He is a naturalized American.
Lee is also a member of the Finnish senior national team. Strangely he has never played in Finland.
#4. An experienced point guard Teemu Rannikko (189-80, currently plays in Slovenia) is a teammate of previously mentioned Sasu Salin. But that was another game of his team in Slovenian Telemach League which we would like to mention.
Rannikko was not able to help Un.Olimpija (7-3) in their game against Krka (9-1).
He scored 7 points.
Un.Olimpija (#2) was edged 79-77 at home by the leading Krka in the Places 1-6 group.
Rannikko's overall stats this season are: 6.3ppg and 2.0apg.
He is also Finnish national team player.
#5. Former U16 international power forward Emir Sulejmanovic (204-95, currently plays in Slovenia) is a teammate of previously mentioned Sasu Salin and both played together in the last Slovenian Telemach League game.
Sulejmanovic was not able to secure a victory for Un.Olimpija (7-3) in their game against Krka (9-1). He did not have that impressive stats last Monday.
Sulejmanovic recorded only 2 points in 7 minutes on the court.
Un.Olimpija (#2) lost 61-71 in Novo Mesto to the leading Krka in the Places 1-6 group.
This year Sulejmanovic's overall stats are: 2.2ppg and 2.2rpg in the 11 games.
He has a dual citizenship: Bosnia and Herzegovina and Finnish.
Sulejmanovic used to play for the Finnish U16 national team
two years ago.
Kataja: took 2nd place (3-3) in Group B of the Regular Season, took 2nd
place (3-3) in Group I of the Top16, lost to Gravelines (FRA) 0-2 in the
Quarterfinals !!!
Pyrinto: took 4th (last) place (2-4) in Group C of the Regular Season
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